Fireplace screen



Oct. 4, 1949.' 1 A. J. ARANY v ,48

FIREPLACE SCREEN Filed Nov. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

Oct. 4, 1949. A. J. ARANY 2,483,608

FIREPLACE SCREEN Filed Nov. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 4, 1949 NITED STATES 6 Claims.

This invention relates to fireplace screens. The general object of the invention is to provide a fireplace incorporating a screen that is supported upon a roller located at the top of the fireplace opening, and is adapted to be rolled upon and unrolled from the roller in order to raise and lower the screen.

While there have been a number of previous proposals for rolling fireplace screens, such previous proposals have, in general, involved unduly complicated constructions. Furthermore, there are a number of problems that must be solved before a satisfactory rolling fireplace screen can be provided. The screen must be stretched su-fficiently to maintain it in a flat plane. At the same time, it is necessary that the edges of the screen be flexible to permit the screen toroll on the supporting roller. In general, these two prob lems are met by providing for vertical tension inthe screen. Accordingly, one of the chi ects of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement for applying tension to the screen through the roller, and for securing the lower edge of the" screen against the pull of the roller.

Another requirement isthat the screen be easily raised and lowered. A further object of my invention is to provide an eificient means for securing the lower edge of the screen against the tension developed in the screen by the roller, which securing means is, at the same time, capable of being readily manipulated to release the lower edge for vertical movement, and to again secure the lower edge in the position to which it has been adjusted.

A further object of my invention is to provide n a relativelysimple slide means for covering and supporting the edges of the screen for sliding movement. A further object is to" provide, in connection therewith, means for accurately locating the side edges of the screen with reference" to the slide means, and for facilitating the vertical sliding movement.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fireplace structure embodying a casing member for the roller, which casing member also functions as the support for the arch of the fireplace.

A further object is to provide a fireplace screen structure including a roller casing, which normally substantially encloses the roller, but may be quickly opened to give access to the roller. To this end, the invention contemplates. the employment of an inner casing membenwhich is hinged to the combined supporting arch. and casing. member tor inward swinging. movement, and is adapted to be latched in a closed position. This latching provides for a further function of the hinged casing member, which is to form a guide and bearing surface over which the screen passes into the vertical guide means.

A further object is to provide a horizontal, sliding anchor bar for the lower edge of the" screen W'IIIC, addition to the previously mentioned function or latching the screen in various positions of verticaladjustment and facilitatin the verticai sliding movement, provides a novel and improved means for quickly attaching the lower edge of the screen thereto,

The invention further resides in improved features of'spring roller construction and support.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings, in which v Fig; I a rertical sectional view through a fireplace embodying my invention;

Fig. 2- is a; front elevation of one side or the fireplace;

3 is a view, partially in front elevation and partially in vertical section, of the anchor bar and associated verticaf slide fr'ame members;

Fig. 4' a horizontal sectional view of one end portion of the anchor bar, taken on the line l 4' of Fig; 3;

Fig; 5*is a detail ian sectional view of one of the roller supports;

Fig. 6' is the vertical sectional view of the roller support takenon the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 a full size transverse sectional view through the arch or the fireplace and the associatedrun-er casing and" roller structure;

Fig. 8 is avertical sectional view of the roller and associated structure taken on the line 88' of 7;

Fig. 9' is a; horizontal sectional view through the anchor bar and the" associated vertical slide means taken on' the line 9-9 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. I0 is a vertical sectional view of the anchor bar, takenon the line l t-4 ii of Fig. 3'.

an ei rampl e of'on'e form in which the invention niaybe'emb'odi'ed, I have shown in the drawings a fireplace installation embodyin a hearth I0, 2; rearwall It, a chimney 12' communicating with tlrefireplace through a throat l3, a masonry arch f4, and jamhplate'member's 3i, fitted againstvertical" portions of the masonry wall structure (which includes the arch It); framing the fireplace opening. The fireplace may also include the conventional trim, including vertical slabs It, and an arch siab' IT.

My invention provides a combined casing member and arch support l8; having at its rear side an upwardly projecting flange l9, and at its forward side a downwardly projecting flange 26. The flanges l9 and brace the horizontal member l8, and thereby cooperate therewith to support the masonary structure of the arch [4.

The flange 26 and horizontal member l8 cooperate with a casing member 2| to define a housing 22 for a screen roller 23 and a screen 24 rolled thereon. The casing member 2| includes a horizontal wall 25 and a vertical wall 26, the latter being attached to the horizontal member H! by hinges 21. The forward edge of the horizontal wall 25 is rolled upwardly and rearwardly to provide a bearing guide 28, which is spaced from the lower extremity of the vertical flange 26 to define a pass 29 through which the screen 24 may slide vertically. The bearing guide 28 is positioned forwardly of the roller 23 whereby the screen 24 is inclined forwardly from the roller to the bearing guide and bears against the guide 28 as it slides through the pass 29. The bearing face of the guide 28 is rounded so as to provide for smooth sliding of the screen thereover.

Secured to and projecting downwardly from the horizontal wall 25 of the casing member 2| are a pair of brackets 36 which are adapted to be secured to the jamb plates 3| of the fireplace opening, and to thereby hold the casing member 2| in the closed position shown in Fig. 7.

To the jamb plates 3 I, which are of heavy sheet or bar metal, are secured a pair of vertical guides, each including an outer flange .32 (which may be welded to a jamb plate 3|), a front wall 33 and a flange 34 extending rearwardly from the inner edge of the front wall 33, and curved laterally to provide a bearing portion 35. Spaced from the bearing portion 35, to provide a slideway for the side portion of the screen 24, is a plate 36, the outer edge of which is formed with a channel 31, which is secured, as by welding, to the flange 32. The channel 3'1 constitutes a track for a roller 38 which is pivoted on an ear 39 projecting from a respective end of an anchor bar 40, in which the lower edge of the screen 24 is secured. The members 33 and 36, which may be readily formed, as rolled or extruded sections of Monel metal, brass, aluminum, or steel, cooperate, as will be apparent from the foregoing description, to define associated slideways for the screen and tracks for the rollers 38 at the respective ends of the anchor bar 40, all as disclosed in Fig. 9.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 10, the anchor bar 46 comprises a tubular structure assembled from a front member 43 and a rear member 44. The front member 43 is of channel shaped cross section, having a top flange 45 and a bottom flange 46, and the rear member 44 is of S shaped cross section, including an offset web 41 (joining the rear and forward wall portions 48 and 49 respectively) and a bottom flange 56. The bottom flange 56 bears against the upper side of the flange 46, and the upper edge of the forward flange 49 is engaged in a groove 5|, which is defined between the forward wall 43, the flange 45 and a strip 52 that is welded to the underside of the flange 45. The flanges 56 and 49 bear against the flanges 46 and 45 under compression, and the flanges 56 and 46 have their forward portions slightly bevelled, as indicated, whereby to provide interengagement under such compression, which securely locks the two members 43 and 44 together so that they can be separated only by inserting a lever between them to pry them apart.

The screen 24' is secured to the anchor bar B being moved downwardly.

4 by a clip 53 in the form of a bar of V-shaped cross section, having a leg that engages the upper face of the web 41, and another leg that is sprung, under compression, beneath the strip 52, with the screen interposed therebetween.

The latching mechanism includes a pair of latch bolts 54, each of which is slidably mounted in ways defined by the inner wall 48, the bottom flange 50 and a pair of ears 55, struck upwardly from the flange 50 in spaced parallel relation to the wall 48. The bolts 54 may be constructed of heavy sheet metal and each has an inner end 56, bent laterally and welded or brazed to a vertical web 57 of a bracket 58, which is slidably mounted in the anchor bar. Viewed from above, as in Fig. 4, the brackets 58 are C-shaped, having side flanges 59 connected by the web 51. A coil spring 66 is engaged, under compression, between the webs 51 of the brackets 58, having its end portions received between the side flanges 59. Secured in the flanges 59 and projecting through slots 6| in the forward wall of the section 43, are a pair of studs 62, having handles 63 at their forward ends.

The outer ends of the bolts 54 are bevelled downwardly and inwardly, as at 65, to provide pointed ends which are adapted to engage beneath the upper edges of slots 66 in the webs of the tracks 31. The upper edges of the end portions of the bolts 54, projecting beyond the ends of the travel bar casing 43, 44, ride beneath the respective rollers 38. It may now be noted that the rollers 38 serve the dual function of traveling in the tracks 31 to provide an antifrictional engagement of the ends of the travel bar with the tracks for longitudinal positioning of the travel bar, and also provide anti-frictional abutments, against which the outer ends of the bolts 54 may ride when the travel bar is In this connection, it is to be noted that the bevelled ends 65 will have a camming engagement against the lower edges of the slots 66 as the travel bar is pushed downwardly, forcing the bolts 54 inwardly against compression of the spring 66, to clear the slots 66.

The roller 23 comprises a cylindrical shell 61, one end of which has a flange 68 affixed thereto, and the other end of which is journaled, through the medium of a roller bearing 69, upon a collar 18- which is secured to the center of a flange 1|. The flanges 68 and ll carry studs I2 which are supported in brackets 13 and 14 respectively. The brackets 13 and 14 are, in turn, supported on the jamb plates 3| at the respective sides of the fireplace opening. The stud 12 may be simply a cylindrical pin received in a socket 15 in the bracket 13, but the stud I2 is flat, is received in a slot 16 in the bracket 14, and is held against rotation by the parallel sides of the slot 16. One end of the slot 16 is closed by one of the offset portions H of the bracket 14, while the opposite end of the slot extends through the other offset portion 11, and is normally obstructed by a clip 18, embracing said other offset portion 11. The slot 16 extends longitudinally in the central web portion 19 of the bracket 14, which is yoke shaped in plan, as shown in Fig. 5.

The collar 10 is provided with a web portion 80, which is perforated to receive the hooked end of a coil spring 8|, the other end of which is hooked through an ear 83 struck inwardly from the wall of the roller cylinder 61. The spring 8| acts torsionally, the end that is attached to the web 86 being fixed against rotation, and the other end tending to rotate the sleeve 61 clock wise, as viewed Fig. 7, so as ta exert an up ward pull against the screen 24. This upward pullisresisted by the engagement the pointed ends of the bol ts '4 in any selected pairof slots 68- in the track 3?. The upward pressure of the anchor bar casing 43, 4 2 against the Tower sides of the bolts 55 under the pull of the screen 24-, is applied to the intermediate regions of the bolts 56 at the ends of the anchor bar, and with the ends of the bolts engaged in the slots 6-3, tends to tilt the inner ends of the bolts 54; upwardly, but such tilting tendency is resisted by the engage merit-of the studs 52 in the sfots 51 of the anchor bar casing member 4.

When it is desired to raise the screen, the operator grasps the handles- 63- which may bepositinned closely enough together to be grasped simuitaneously in one hand)- and moves the barn dles toward each other, thereby withdrawing the ends of the bolts 54 from the slots 66 in the track 31. Continuing to hold the bolts in their retracted positions, the operator then pushes upwardly on the handles 63+, thereby moving the anchor bar upwardly, the rollers: 1-18 riding in thetracks 31. When it is desired to lower the screen, the operator simply B hes downwardly against the anchor bar, and the bolts E l-will automatical- 1y engage in. the parallel slotsv 66 next above the level atv which such downward movement of the pointed ends of the bolts 54 was stopped.

As the screen is moved upwardly and downwardly,.the side edges thereof will ride in the iamb guides defined between the members 35 and. 35. The side edges of the screen are selvaged, but are not otherwise bound. Maintenance of. the screen in afl'at plane is efiectedsolel-y through the tension that is maintained in the screen by the spring roller.

When it isdesired to remove the roller and screenior inspection or repair, the latch brackets 30 are released, and the casing member N is hinged rearwardly. The roller 23 is then removed from its supporting brackets by first removing the clip 18 and then sliding the stud 12' horizontally through the open end of the slot 16 until this end of the roller is freed from the bracket 14, whereupon the stud 12, at the other end of the roller, may be withdrawn from the socket 15.

When the roller 23 turns, the stud 12 turns in the socket 15, whereas the other end of the roller rotates upon the collar.

Each bracket 39 includes a track portion 31' which, in the closed position of the casing 2|, constitutes a continuation of the track 31. Each bracket also includes an ear 8| at its lower end, cooperating with an car 82 on the upper end of the track 3'! to receive a cotter pin or other securing element 83 passed through both ears and latching the bracket 30 to the track 31. Removal of the cotter pin 83 at each end of the casing 2| makes it possible for the casing 2| to be swung rearwardly and upwardly to give access to the roller 23.

The structural Z-bar l8, I9, functions not only to support the masonry arch I4, but also to support the trim slab H, the lower edge of which rests upon a flange 84 which may either constitute an integral extension of the lower portion of the vertical wall 20 or may be part of a separate angle iron 85, the vertical flange of which is interposed between the slab I 1 and the vertical wall 20 of the structural member, and is welded to the wall 20. Also, a horizontal screen guide member 86 may have its vertical flange interposed between the wall 85 and the wall 20 and 6 projected below the lower edge of the wait 20 to form a horizontal continuation of the vertical guide members 34, 35.

It is to benoted that the trim slab IT projects downwardly substantially to the lower extremity of the casing H, cooperating with the guide member 86 (which projects below the flange M} to conceai the casing 2' I The guide member 86' has a reentrant flange 81 between the edge of which, and the lower edge of flange 28', is clamped a brush 88. A similar brush 89* is clamped between the bottom SW of the casing and a retainer strip 9i" secured to the wall 96.. The brushes 88 and 89- function to clean the screen as it is rolled: upwardly and downwardly.

1 claim:

I. In a fireplace, means framing a fireplace opening, said means including an overhead masonry arch, a structin'ai member including a hori zontat wall underlying said arch and supporting the same and: a vertical wall projecting downwardly from the forward extremity of said; horizontal wall, a casing member including a portion hmged to and projecting downwardly from said horizontal wall and a portion projecting forwardl-y from the lower extremity of said down Wardly projecting" ziortionv and spaced atits forward. edge from said vertical wait to define apass, a spring-biased. roller mounted withinsaid casing, a. screenrol led upon said: rollerand passing downwardly through said pass, vertical: guides at the"; respective sides of the fireplace opening, the side; extremities of the screen traveling in said: guides, and brackets; attached to? the underside of. said forwardly projecting casing portion and having means for securing, the same to the upper err-- tremities of said guides, saidv brackets having short guide portions forming: continuations of said guides.

2. In a fireplace, a pair of vertical guides at the respective sides of a fireplace opening, each of said guides comprising a pair of channel members lying side by side, a screen having edge portions each received in and closely embraced by one of said channel members, a spring roller mounted above said guides exerting an upward pull on said screen, and a travel bar having means traveling in the other of said channels and engageable therewith at vertically spaced points to secure the travel bar in selected fixed positions of vertical adjustment and thereby establish tension in the screen, a lower edge of said screen being anchored to said travel bar.

3. In a fireplace, a pair of vertical guide members each including a C-shaped forward member having an outer flange, a forward wall and an inner flange, the free edge of which is re-entrant toward said outer flange, and a second member having a wall portion parallel to said forward wall and spaced from said re-entrant portion to define a guideway and closely embracing the edge portion of a screen, said second member having at the outer extremity of said parallel wall portion a channel constituting a track, and a travel bar to which the lower extremity of a screen is secured, said travel bar having means traveling in said track to maintain a lateral positioning of said travel bar.

4. In a fireplace, in combination with means including vertical members defining the sides of a fireplace opening, a pair of guide members each including a guideway and closely embracing the edge of a screen and a track lying alongside said guideway, a screen having its side edge por.

tions traveling in said guideways, a spring roller mounted above said guides and exerting an upward pull on the upper portion of said screen, and a travel bar to which the lower portion of said screen is anchored, said travel bar having at its respective extremities rollers traveling in said tracks.

5. In a fireplace, in combination with vertical members framing the sides of a fireplace opening, a pair of guide tracks attached to the respective vertical members, a screen, a spring roller mounted above said tracks and exerting an upward pull on said screen, a travel bar to which the lower edge of said screen is anchored, said travel bar having rollers traveling in said tracks, and latch bolts the upper faces of which bear against the undersides of said rollers, said tracks having vertically spaced notches said bolts having downwardly and inwardly bevelled ends receivable in said notches to secure said travel bar in selected positions of vertical adjustment and adapted to have camming action against the bottoms of the notches to cause the bolts to move toward each other and thereby ride out of the notches when the travel bar is moved downwardly, said rollers providing rolling abutment for said bolts to take the upward thrust of the bolts during such camming action, and means yieldingly urging said bolts outwardly into engagement with said tracks.

6. In a fireplace, in combination with vertical members framing the sides of a fireplace opening, a pair of guide members attached to the respective vertical members and each comprising a screen guide channel and a travel bar track lying side by side, a screen having its edge portions received in said screen guide channels, a spring roller mounted above said tracks and exerting an upward pull on said screen, and a travel bar to which the lower edge of said screen is anchored, said travel bar having rollers traveling in said tracks and latch bolts the upper faces of which bear against the underside of said rollers, said tracks having vertically spaced notches said bolts having downwardly and inwardly bevelled ends receivable in said notches to secure said travel bar in selected positions of vertical adjustment and adapted to have camming action against the bottoms of the notches to cause the bolts to move toward each other and thereby ride out of the notches when the travel bar is moved downwardly, said rollers providing rolling abutment for said bolts to take the upward thrust of the bolts during such camming action, means yieldingly urging said bolts outwardly into engagement with said tracks, and a pair of handles each attached to a respective bolt, by means of which said bolts may be drawn toward each other and by means of which a travel bar may be raised and lowered.

' ALEC J. ARANY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 244,397 Matthews July 19, 1881 627,858 Littel June 27, 1899 813,505 Lowry Feb. 27, 1906 836,475 Watson NOV. 20, 1906 1,015,976 Rader Jan. 30, 1912 1,242,177 Gumber et al.. Oct. 9, 1917 1,326,012 Arnold Dec. 23, 1919 1,726,854 Mumford Sept. 3, 1929 1,797,511 Mensik Mar. 24, 1931 1,866,788 Arthur July 12, 1932 2,098,105 Nye Nov. 2, 1937 2,099,068 Keithly Nov. 16, 1937 2,126,782 Julien Aug. 16, 1938 

